1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a system and a method for recovering an output of a fuel cell, and more particularly, to a system and a method for recovering an output of a fuel cell capable of recovering performance of a fuel cell stack.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fuel cell vehicle is a vehicle that is powered by a fuel cell stack in which a plurality of fuel cells are stacked together to provide an appropriate amount in order to power the vehicle. These fuel cell systems typically include a fuel supplying system supplying hydrogen, (i.e., fuel or the like), to the fuel cell stack, an air supplying system supplying oxygen, (i.e., an oxidizing agent required for an electrochemical reaction), a water and heat managing system controlling a temperature of the fuel cell stack, and other components well known in the art.
In particular, the fuel supplying system decreases pressure of compressed hydrogen in a hydrogen tank and supplies the compressed hydrogen of which the pressure is reduced to an anode of the fuel cell stack, and the air supplying system supplies external air sucked in by operating an air blower to a cathode of the fuel cell stack.
When hydrogen is supplied to the anode of the fuel cell stack and oxygen is supplied to the cathode of the fuel cell stack, hydrogen ions are separated through a catalytic reaction in the anode. The separated hydrogen ions are transferred to an oxidizing electrode, which is the cathode, through an electrolyte membrane, and the hydrogen ions separated in the anode generates an electrochemical reaction together with electrons and the oxygen in the oxidizing electrode, thus generating electrical energy may be obtained. In detail, electrochemical oxidization of the hydrogen occurs in the anode, and electrochemical reduction of the oxygen occurs in the cathode. Electricity and heat are generated due to movement of electrons generated through the above-mentioned process, and water vapor or water is generated by a chemical action that the hydrogen and the oxygen are bonded to each other.
In order to release hydrogen and oxygen that do not react thereby resulting in byproducts such as water vapor, water, and the heat generated in an electric energy generating process of the fuel cell stack, a draining device is provided. As such, gases, such as the water vapor, the hydrogen, the oxygen, and the like, are drained to the atmosphere through a draining path.
Components such as an air blower, a hydrogen recirculation blower, a water pump, and the like, for driving the fuel cell are connected to a main bus end to facilitate a start-up of the fuel cell, and various relays for facilitating blocking and connection of power and a diode preventing a reverse current reaching the fuel cell may be connected to the main bus end.
Dry air supplied through the air blower is humidified by a humidifier and is then supplied to the cathode of the fuel cell stack. Exhaust gas from the cathode may be transferred to the humidifier in order to be humidified by an internally generated water component and then be used to humidify the dry air to be supplied to the cathode by the air blower.
In a fuel cell vehicle using the fuel cell as a driving source, and especially those using it as a main power source, the farther the vehicle is driven, the more the performance of the fuel cell stack is deteriorated. In some cases, an output of the fuel cell stack is decreased as a result. In order for the fuel cell vehicle to be stably driven, the output from the fuel cell stack should be maintained to be a certain level or more. However, when the fuel cell stack is deteriorated, the output from the fuel cell stack is decreased. In this case, the fuel cell stack must be removed from the vehicle and repaired.
However, a skilled mechanic, a repairing place, a dedicated tool, and the like, are required in order to remove the fuel cell stack from the fuel cell vehicle, and a significant cost is required to separate the fuel cell stack from the fuel cell vehicle and mount the fuel cell stack back into the fuel cell vehicle.